Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word
by Amezzeray
Summary: Sequel to "The Wrong Gut Feeling". Gibbs is out on the rampage to avenge the death of one of the team but can anything he do really make him feel better about what happened? Rated T just to be safe.
1. A sign of weakness?

I know the story is named after a Blue song (a bloody good one though!!) but it seemed appropriate in the circumstances.

**Sequel to _The Wrong Gut Feeling _- you really should read that before you read this.**

I know, short chapter but there is something I like where a chapter ends with a cool line. (I hope it is a cool line lol)

Enjoy!

* * *

In the car, Gibbs was still trying to process what the Doctor told him.

"_I'm afraid Timothy didn't survive. He died about 10 minutes after he was brought in"_

Over and over again, that memory going through his head; finding him, trying to keep him alive, all the things he said to him…

"Er, Boss?", yelled Tony, "Don't you think you should slow down a little?".

"Do you wanna catch these bastards or not?".

"Yes, I do Gibbs, but how can we catch then if we died in a tragic car accident?", replied an annoyed Tony, still holding a distraught Abby in his arms. Ziva shot him an evil look, telling him to be quiet. Tony sighed and tightened his grip on Abby.

As soon as they arrived at the Navy Yard, Abby went down to her lab, ignoring Gibbs as she exited the elevator. Tony and Ziva went to their desks while Gibbs went to see Vance.

"I want this case back" Gibbs said, crashing into Vance's office.

"You asked me to pass it on!"

"That was before…"

After a pause, Vance continued, "I'm sorry Gibbs. I really am but it's out of my hands-"

"You're the Director!"

"Not of the FBI".

"You passed it to the FBI?"

Vance sighed. "A civilian was found murdered this morning. Same MO except this time it was a relative of the 3rd victim. Not our jurisdiction but NCIS is still involved. I asked Agent Fornell to take over. I'm sure he'd let you be involved".

Realizing that Vance gave the case to the FBI, specifically Fornell, so that Gibbs could still be involved, the tension was lifted somewhat, he replied "I'm sorry Leon, I-"

"I thought that was a sign of weakness?", Vance said as Gibbs went for the door.

Gibbs stopped in his tracks and after another pause with Gibbs staring at the door he quietly said, "Not today" and continued to the bullpen, slamming the door behind him.


	2. Guilt

I'm still not sure if this sequel is necessary. So let me know if it isn't. And just to be clear, I'm not proud of this chapter. I aint very happy with it.

R+R, lv Amy aka Amezzeray

* * *

As Gibbs descended the stairs he got out his phone to call Fornell and ask how things were going with the investigation but was surprised by the FBI agent already in the Squadroom, sitting at his desk with Agent Sacks stood behind him.

"So? Any progress yet?" Gibbs asked as he entered the Squadroom.

"Our forensic analyst ran the sketches Agent McGee made through our recognition program and they came up with the same results as yours" Fornell said as he stood up.

"And?".

"Jethro, I'm so-".

"And?", shouted a perturbed Gibb, not wanting sympathy right now, but answers.

Fornell sighed, "Ed Minton and Alex Davies" he said as Tony attempted to put them on the plasma, but failed miserably.

"Ah, sorry Boss. This was Probie's-". Tony stalled at that name and took a deep breath and several seconds later finally managed to put it up.

"According to their neighbours, they are lovers", Fornell said as Gibbs stared at the men that will meet the end of his gun.

Ziva continued, "Minton was the ex-boyfriend of the first victim, Emma Grey".

"Why are we only just hearing about a boyfriend now?".

"They hadn't seen each other for months and he was never known to be abusive towards her", Ziva said.

"Both men were suspects in a rape case of a female Petty Officer 7 years ago", said Sacks. "But there wasn't enough evidence to hold them".

"Who was the victim?"

"Kerry Hill" replied Tony and he put her picture on the plasma.

Gibbs stared at the picture. "red-head, in the Navy, where is she now?".

"5 years ago she legally changed her name to-", Ziva froze, not believing what she was reading on the computer screen.

"Ziva?", a concerned Gibbs asked.

"Emma Grey".

"So she gets into a relationship with a man who was a suspect in her rape?".

"She was drugged. She did not know who attacked her".

"Well, I think it's safe to say that he was involved somehow", interrupted Fornell, "Some men have the craziest sexual fantasies. Maybe this is what did it for him".

"But, McGee…" said Gibbs, not wanting to finish what he started.

"I'm going to talk to Ducky" Gibbs said quietly, "Put the-".

"BOLO's out Boss. I'll let you know as soon as we get a hit".

Gibbs nodded and continued towards Autopsy, with Fornell following him.

* * *

Ducky had just finished the autopsy. Somehow, talking to a cadaver of someone you once knew isn't the same as talking to one you didn't know. Ducky usually did it to develop a "rapport" with the poor soul on the table, who was counting on him to get the answers needed and get justice for what happened. But with Tim, all he could say was how sorry he was.

As he closed the draw to where Tim's body was being kept, he heard the doors slide open with Gibbs and Fornell walking through them.

"Jethro" he sighed. "On time! As usual".

"What have you got Duck?".

"you're not going to like it Jethro".

"He was sexually assaulted wasn't he?".

"I'm afraid so". Gibbs closed his eyes, wondering how he couldn't have noticed that Tim had been assaulted when he found him but, then again, he was fully clothed. "But if it is any consolation, poor Timothy put up quite a fight".

Gibbs didn't answer back. Ducky knew that absolutely nothing he could say will make thing even the slightest bit better.

"After I finished the autopsy I took the time to put together a psychological profile of our serial killers"

"And?", Fornell asked.

"Well, these men have been a couple for a very long time. They are comfortable with each other. Each knows what makes the other tick. And, well, I hate to bring this up but I believe that both wanted to bring some extra spice to their sex lives".

Gibbs felt disgusted. Not only that Tim would be used to satisfy 2 men, but anyone.

Ducky continued, "Well, everyone has their preferences and red-heads must do it for them. But that wasn't enough. If what I suspect is right, it is raping those poor girls…" Ducky couldn't continue that particular sentence. Everyone knew how it would end.

"I conclude that one of these rapes got out of hand and they found a new thrill in killing. But then it got more complicated than that. They needed to cover their tracks. Get to any witnesses. It wasn't about looks anymore. It was the pain they caused".

"I've heard enough Duck"

"Sorry Jethro".

"Anything else Duck?"

"No Jethro. And I don't think there will be".

"thanks" Gibbs said quietly as he exited autopsy and entered the elevator.

Gibbs was still staring into space when the elevator suddenly stopped, snapping him out of it and he saw Fornell next to the "emergency switch".

"What is it Tobias?"

"Maybe you shouldn't be on this one Jethro. You're too emotionally involved".

"Not now Tobias! We need – I need to get justice for Tim".

"You're guilty Jethro. I haven't seen guilt in you for a long time. Not since Ari killed-"

"Tobias" Gibbs sighed, "I need to do this", he whispered. "Not just for me. But for the other victims and their families. Tim's family".

"Is there any way I can talk you out of this?".

"You'd have to kill me!".

Tobias stared into Gibbs' icey eyes for a few long seconds before flipping the switch and letting the elevator resume course. Then Gibbs' phone rang.

"Gibbs"

"Boss, got a hit on the BOLO, at a motel-"

But before Tony could finish his sentence, Gibbs and Fornell exited the elevator.

"Gear up!", he yelled.

And the team, FBI agents included, gathered their keys, guns and backpacks and ran for the elevator. As the elevator doors closed Gibbs whispered to Tony and Ziva, "Don't shoot to kill".

"Count on it Boss".


	3. More Loss

1 review? That just isn't right people!! Lol

* * *

The team, plus Fornell and Sacks arrived at the Motel in half the time it would take an ordinary commuter. They park about a block away, to have the element of surprise on their side.

"Okay" whispered Gibbs, "DiNozzo, Sacks you both go round back and cover all the exits. Tony, you stay outside incase someone tries to escape while Sacks searches the rooms".

"On it Boss", and Tony and Sacks disappeared down the road, guns in hand.

"Ziva, you stay back just in case they try to escape while Fornell and I do our thing".

Ziva nodded in agreement.

As Gibbs slowly got closer to the room where DiNozzo told him they were, everyone froze as they heard a blood-curdling scream begging for dear life from that very room.

Gibbs could hear what the 2 men, who he had a visual on, were talking about.

"I don't want to kill her", said Alex

"But she'll tell the cops who we are!"

"But I never wanted to be involved"

"Tell that to that Annie woman who screamed as you-"

"Now!" Gibbs said and they crashed into the room. "Freeze! Federal Agents!"

Gibbs has seen many things in his life as both a Marine and an NCIS agent that he wished he could erase from his memory. Those didn't compare to what everyone saw happening in the room. A woman lay naked, tied to the bed and gagged as the men fought over her. Her eyes glazing over from the pain...

They men didn't try to fight back. Instead, one of the men who Gibbs recognized as Alex put the gun he was holding to his head and pulled the trigger.

"NO!" yelled Ed as he caught his lover's body as it fell. Ed began to sob when he saw the sheer amount of blood being emptied from Alex's head.

"Get up!" Gibbs whispered aggressively in his ear as he yanked him to his feet.

When Gibbs handcuffed him, he heard Ziva, who was helping the young lady on the bed, gasp. He shot her a worried look and he knew that something was wrong.

It wasn't until Gibbs instructed Tony to take Ed to the car that he noticed what Ziva could possibly be shocked about. It was the woman on the bed.

They knew her.

**_Sarah McGee._**

* * *

Gibbs took another gulp from the bottle of bourbon that had been gathering dust (or sawdust) in his basement for weeks. The intention was to make the burning sensation of the liquid make him forget about everything, anything that happened in the last day or two. He continued work on his boat for what felt like hours before hearing footsteps at the top of the basement.

"He confessed to everything Jethro", He heard Fornell's voice say.

"How's Sarah?", he said not making eye-contact with him.

"She's with her parents. Its gonna take her a while to get back to normal life".

"Depends what you define as 'normal'".

After a pause, Fornell decided to tell Gibbs the worst of it.

"They made her watch Jethro" Gibbs stopped what he was doing and stared at the wall opposite him, "she was visiting him that night".

"Dammit, that girl's been through enough".

After another pause, Fornell continued, "Jethro, we caught them. You don't need to be so hard on yourself".

"Why? Why Tobias?", Gibbs finally made eye-contact with him, "The truth is, I want him to suffer painfully! Not suffer emotionally in a prison cell for the rest of his life".

"I've been where you are Jethro. It's best to just let things be".

"Tell that to Sarah! She's lost more than her brother in the last 24 hours. She's lost herself, her dignity, her security. If only I got protection for McGee, none of this would have happened"

"Stop it Jethro! You know it isn't helping! Look, just because your gut-", he was interrupted by his phone ringing.

Gibbs got back to work on the boat. He heard Fornell whispering down the phone before hearing a loud "DAMMIT" from the stairs. Gibbs stopped what he was doing and walked towards the stairs.

Fornell hung-up and looked at him. "Minton's escaped. Sacks was moving him from FBI to-".

But Gibbs wasn't listening. He went to the desk in his basement, collected him gun and ran up the stairs.

"NCIS has the body of Alex in Autopsy. He'll be going there!".

"Gibbs, he took Sacks' gun!".

"Well, you'll have to back me up", Gibbs smirked.

Fornell rolled his eyes as Gibbs left the basement. _Typical Gibbs,_ he thought. But the Fornell smirked himself, realizing the probably the only way for Gibbs to be Gibbs again was to kill someone, namely, the man who is responsible for the events that have unfolded.

_It's a cliché, but with Gibbs, he was the type of man that felt better after killing someone; it was the truest thing you can say about him._

Gibbs' head popped out the door and said, "You coming? Or not?". Then he got out his phone to warn Ducky and the rest of the team.

"Sure Jethro", and with that he exited the basement, ready to help Gibbs in anyway he possibly can...to get the _real _Gibbs back.


End file.
